Oven door structure



May 21, 1963 A. G. NELSON OVEN DooR STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. l0, 1961 y; W2( ida;

May 21, 1963 A. G. NELSON ovENv DooR STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l0, 1961 3,090,375 OVEN DOR STRUCTURE Averd G. Nelson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., assigner to Preway, Inc., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 130,553 4 Claims. (Cl. 126-194) This invention relates to an oven door and more particularly to a removable oven door and hinge mechanism.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and -improved oven door of -the type described.

A more specific object is to provide .a new and improved detachable oven door mounting construction of the ltype described including a hinge member for pivotally mounting the door for movement between a fully open and a closed position, and improved latching means on l the door and hinge member detachably securing the door `thereto and cooperating with spring means, which urge the door toward a parti-ally open position, said cooperation maintaini-ng the door positively secured to the oven in every position other than the partially open position, and means for neutralizing the cooperation between the spring :and latching means when the door is in the partially open position whereby the door may be detached without the manipulation of separate latching means.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a front elevational view of an oven having a front door incorporating my invention, the door being shown in closed position in this iigure and with parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at the line 2 2 in FIGURE l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View simi-lar to FIG. Z but with the door shown in an ajar position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 with the door shown in a fully open position; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of the door frame member forming part of the present invention.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in det-ail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as Ian exemplication of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be poi-nted out in the appended claims.

This invention constitutes an improvement over the oven door mounting described in Patent No. 2,845,923, assigned to the assignee of this application.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, an oven is illustrated with an oven door intended for use with the hinge mechanism shown in ysaid patent.

The oven 10 comprises la casing having sidewalls 11 and 12, a top Wall 13, ya bottom wall 14, and a rear Wall (not shown), which define a cooking chamber having a front opening adapted to be closed by a door 1S. The hinge mechanism with which the embodiment of the present invention is employed is fully described in the above mentioned Patent No. 2,845,923, and will be briey referred to herein. While a hinge mechanism is associated with each bottom corner of door 15, the mech- 2 lani'sms are alike and only one is illustrated in detail in FIGS. l, 2, 3 and 4 and described herein.

The door 15 is pivotally mounted for movement from a substantially vertical closed position to la substan-tially horizontal open position by means of a hinge plate 16 mounted on each of the lsidewalls 11 and 12 by suitable securing means such as screws 17'. A hinge arm `18 projects orwardly and downwardly from hinge plate 16 and is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 20 to a door 1S in a manner more fully described herein later.

The door 15 comprises front and rear rigid sheet met-al plates 2,1 and 22 respectively, suitably spaced so as to provide a substantially enclosed gap 15a therebetween. The rear plate 22 is slotted as 'at 23 to receive the hinge arm 13 projecting from the hinge plate 16. An arcuately curved door control aum 24 integral with a hinge member 36 attached to the door, described respectively, projects rearwardly and downwardly through an opening 25 provided in the oven casing.

To control the movement of the door 15 a lever 27 is pivoted as at 28 to oven sidewall 11. Lever 27 projects forwardly and is arranged to bear on a roller 30 mounted on the free end of arm 24 eccentrically of the pivot axis of the door structure. The lever 2,7 bears -on the roller 30 at all times and is provided with cam :surfaces on its underside near fthe free end which are arranged to urge the door from the Ifully open position towards the ajar position, to maintain the door in .the ajar position (FIG. 3), and to maintain the door in the closed position. A spring 31 is connected to the mid-portion of lever 27 and to a plate 32 suitably secured to the sidewall 11, thereby biasing the lever downwardly and maintaining it in engagement with roller 30.

Near the free end, the lever 27 is notched to p-rovide a forwardly inclined earn surf-ace 33 and an intersecting cam surface 34 which cooperate in a manner fully described in Patent No. 2,845,923 to maintain the door 15 in lthe ajar position as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, in the ajar position, the inclination of the surface 33' is such that it opposes closing movement of the door While sur-- face 34 unges closing movement, resulting in the neutralization of the spring forces and the maintenance of the door in thi-s position. As seen in FIG. 4, when the door 15 is in the fully open position the weight thereof counterbalances the tendency of the hinge mechanism to close the door and the door will remain in this position until moved manually. When the door is moved to the closed position, -as shown in FIGURE 2, the roller 30 passes around the surface 33 and is engaged by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined cam surface 35 at the free end of lever 2.7 which lholds the door in a closed position. Thus, the hinge mechanism serves to maintain the door structure in the fully closed position (FIG. 2), and in the fully open position (FIG. 4). A moderate manual movement of the door .structure from the fully open position `causes the door structure to be urged to the aja-r position (FIG. 3) under the iniluence of the lcam surface 33 on the lever 27 and the spring 31. When the door structure is in the ajar position the spring forces Iare neutralized by the cooperating cam surfaces 33` and 34 and the doorY remains in the ajar position until a moderate manual pull moves it therefrom.

To etect the detachable mounting of the door 15 on the oven 10, the hinge member 36 is pivotally engaged at pin 20 to hinge arm 18 and is adapted for releasable latching engagement with the door 15. To this end member 36 has an elongated body portion 36a which is enlarged at the free end 36h to form a ledge or latching portion 36C. The ledge 36e, in the embodiment illustrated, extends toward the rear of the cooking chamber or, in a direction generally coincident with the direction of closing movement of the door 15.

Referring to FIGS. l and 5, a box-like frame indicated generally at 37 is positioned in the door gap 15a and is secured to the door 15 to effect the latching engagement thereof to the oven 14). Preferably, the frame 37 is secured to the rear plate 22 of the door 15 by any suitable means such as welds or rivets 38 for which apertures 4t) may be provided. The frame 37 includes a pair of substantially parallel, spaced Walls 41 and 42 and a second pair of spaced parallel walls 43 and d4 substantially perpendicular to walls 41 and 4Z which deiine a channel or socket, indicated at 45, for the reception of the member 36. Preferably, the channel l5 is dimensioned to permit the free but snug passage of the enlarged end 36h of the member 36 whereby the ledge 36C latchingly engages the top marginal edge 46 of the wall 44. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 5, the walls 41 and 4l@ have a length dimension about one half that of the walls 42 and 43, the lower terminal edges thereof being indicated at 41a and 44a, respectively. lIn the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal extent of channel 45, is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the door 15 about the pivot pin 2Q. A pair of lianges dllb and 41C may be provided to extend one from each end of the wall '41 to provide guides for insertion of the hinge member 36 Within the channel 45 and add rigidity to the frame.

Thus, the unique latching arrangement herein described aiords a positive engagement of the door l5 on the oven during the opening and closing movements, while facilitating disengagement and removal ot the door without the manipulation of separate locking devices. Referring to FIG. 2 which illustrates the door 15 in the fully closed position, it is seen that the force of the spring 31 transmitted through the lever 27, roller 30 and arm 24 to the hinge member 36 maintains the latching engagement between the ledge 36C and the edge 45, thereby positively securing the door to the oven lll. As the door 1S is moved manually from the closed position to the fully open position (PIG. 4), the manual force and the weight of the door combine to resist the previously described action of the spring 31 and the cam surface 33 in the urging of the door 15 to the ajar position, thereby maintaining the positive latching between the latching portions 36C and 46 of the member 36 and the frame 37, respectively.

In the fully open position shown in FIG. 4, the weight of the door 1S is suficient to maintain the latching engagement, as is the case, similarly, when movement occurs from this position to the aiar position (FIG. 3).

In the ajar position, the spring forces are neutralized, as described previously, and the door 15 is permitted to remain in this position as desired. Because of the slight downward inclination of the door structure, there exists a suicient component of the weight thereof bearing against the latching portions to maintain their mutual engagement and thereby, the positive mounting of the door 15.

However, if it is desired to remove the door structure, it is necessary merely to rotate the door 15 slightly in the direction of the closed position (FIG. 3) thereby tilting the frame 37 about the member 36 and disengaging the edge 46 from the ledge 36C. The door 15 is now free and may be lifted out of its mounting with a minimum of effort. It is necessary only to reverse the procedure to remount the door structure. rfhus, the positively secured door may be readily detached and remounted by a housewife during the normal course of activities providing easier access for cleaning or the like, without the need for the manipulation of separate latching devices.

I claim:

l. In an oven having walls defining a cooking chamber with a front opening therein, a door structure comprising: a door; a projecting hinge arm adjacent the bottom edge of said opening; a hinge member pivotally secured to said arm and adapted to support the door for movement between a substantially fully open position, an ajar position and a closed position, cooperating latc'ning portions on said hinge member and door for releasably securing the door thereto including an extension on the hinge member having a ledge formed therein facing the cooking chamber and a frame member secured to the door and adapted to engage said ledge to selectively releasably secure said door to the hinge member; means applying force to said hinge member to urge the door from adiacent the fully open position to the ajar position, to maintain the door in the ajar position, and to maintain the door in t'ne fully closed position, said iatching portions adapted to cooperate with the force applying means and to utilize gravity in the fully open position to positively secure the door to the support member when the door is in any position other than the ajar position; and means neutralizing the force on said member when the door is in the ajar position whereby the latching portions may be disengaged and the door detached from the oven.

2. In an oven having walls dening a cooking chamber with a front opening therein, a door structure comprising:

a door; a projecting hinge arm adjacent the bottom edge" of said opening, an elongated hinge member pivot-ally secured at one end to said arm and adapted to support the door for movement between -a fully open position, an ajar position and a closed position, cooperating latching portions on said hinge member and door for releasably securing the door thereto, including -a ledge formed closely adjacent the free end of the hinge member and a frame member secured `to the door, said frame defining a channel adapted to guide for insertion and snugly receive the free end of said hinge member and having a marginal edge adapted to latehingly engage said ledge when the hinge member is received in said channel thereby securing the door to the hinge member; means applying force to said hinge member to urge the door from adjacent the fully open position to the fully closed position, said ledge and marginal edge adapted to cooperate with the force applying means to positively secure the door to the hinge member when the door is positioned to either side of the ajar position; and means neutralizing the force on said hinge member when the door is in the ajar position whereby the latching of the ledge and marginal edge may be disengaged and the door detached from said support.

3. The oven door structure as described in claim 2 wherein the ledge at the free end of the member extends in a direction generally the same as the direction of the closing movement of the door.

4. In an oven having walls deiining a cooking chamber with a front opening therein, a door structure comprising: a door; a projecting hinge arm adjacent the bottom edge of said opening, an elongated hinge member pivotally secured at one end to said arm and adapted to support the door for movement between a fully open position, an yajar position and a closed position, cooperating latching portions on said hinge member and door for releasably securing the door thereto, including a ledge formedy closely adjacent the free end of the hinge member and extending toward the cooking chamber and a frame member secured Ato the door, said frame having a channel adapted to snugly receive the free end of said hinge member and having a marginal edge adapted -toy latchingly engage said ledge when the hinge member is received in said channel thereby securing the door to the hinge member, said channel terminating short of an outer end of the frame member whereby relative movement of the hinge member is facilitated and a guide on the frame member facilitating 5 insertion of the hinge member into the channel; means ajar position whereby the latching of the ledge and marapplying force to said hinge member to urge the door ginal ),dge maybe disengaged and the door detached from from adjacent the fully open position to the fully closed Said SUPPOT- position, said ledge and marginal edge adapted to c0operate with the force applying means to positively secure the 5 References Clim m the me of thls patent door to the hinge member when the door is positioned to UNTED STATES PATENTS either side of the ajar position; and means neutralizing 2,845,923 Nelson Aug 5, 1958 the force on said hinge member when the door iS in the 3,003,495 Coultrip Oct. 10, 1961 

1. IN AN OVEN HAVING WALLS DEFINING A COOKING CHAMBER WITH A FRONT OPENING THEREIN, A DOOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A DOOR; A PROJECTING HINGE ARM ADJACENT THE BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID OPENING; A HINGE MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID ARM AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE DOOR FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A SUBSTANTIALLY FULLY OPEN POSITION, AN AJAR POSITION AND A CLOSED POSITION, COOPERATING LATCHING PORTIONS ON SAID HINGE MEMBER AND DOOR FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE DOOR THERETO INCLUDING AN EXTENSION ON THE HINGE MEMBER HAVING A LEDGE FORMED THEREIN FACING THE COOKING CHAMBER AND A FRAME MEMBER SECURED TO THE DOOR AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID LEDGE TO SELECTIVELY RELEASABLY SECURE SAID DOOR TO THE HINGE MEMBER; MEANS APPLYING FORCE TO SAID HINGE MEMBER TO URGE THE DOOR FROM ADJACENT THE FULLY OPEN POSITION TO THE AJAR POSITION, TO MAINTAIN THE DOOR IN THE AJAR POSITION, AND TO MAINTAIN THE DOOR IN THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION, SAID LATCHING PORTIONS ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH THE FORCE APPLYING MEANS AND TO UTILIZE GRAVITY IN THE FULLY OPEN POSITION TO POSITIVELY SECURE THE DOOR TO THE SUPPORT MEMBER WHEN THE DOOR IS IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN THE AJAR POSITION; AND MEANS NEUTRALIZING THE FORCE ON SAID MEMBER WHEN THE DOOR IS IN THE AJAR POSITION WHEREBY THE LATCHING PORTIONS MAY BE DISENGAGED AND THE DOOR DETACHED FROM THE OVEN. 